Traffic Cones (Hansard, 21 July 1994)

§ Mr. Norris

[holding answer 20 July 1994]: As these are now operational matters for the Highways Agency, the chief executive has written to the hon. Member.

Letter from Laurie Haynes to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 20 July 1994: You asked the Secretary of State for Transport for information on the Cones Hotline. As this is now an operational matter for the Highways Agency, I am replying to your questions. 1. To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the number of calls received by the Cones Enquiry Line in each month since it was established. The number of calls received on the Cones Hotline from the date of its inception to 8 July 1994 was 6,347. The figures have not been recorded in monthly form but 6,167 of the total have been received since mid-December 1993 when the road signs were introduced. This means that the average number of calls received per month is 880. 2. To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what measures his Department has taken to publicise the services offered by the Cones Enquiry Line. The Hotline number is displayed on signs which appear at the end of all major maintenance works. It appears in the Highways Agency's general information brochure and in its Road User's Charter. It is also registered with Directory Enquiries and with AA Roadwatch and RAC Roadata. 3. To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Cones Enquiry Line has cost to administer and publicise in each financial year since its establishment; how much it is estimated that the Cones Enquiry Line will cost to publicise and administer in the current financial year; and if he will make a statement. Since the beginning of the current financial year the cost of the dedicated telephone line has been about £450 per month, including call charges. The Hotline previously operated on the Department's general switchboard. There have been no other separately identifiable costs, either in previous years or in the current year, because the Hotline has operated within running cost structures agreed before its inception. No staff are employed exclusively on Hotline activity. There is no advertising or publicity budget for the Hotline. 4. To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many traffic cones have been (a) placed on and (b) removed from the road network under the direct authority of his Department during the period that the Cones Enquiry Line has been in operation. The placement and removal of traffic cones is a matter for contractors or their traffic management sub-contractors. While they must follow traffic management and safety guidelines in laying out cones, they are not asked to provide figures on the number placed or removed. 5. To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has spent on (a) traffic cones and (b) road signs during the year; and how many (i) traffic cones and (ii) road signs have been purchased during this period. Neither the Department nor the Agency buys traffic cones. They are purchased by and are the property of contractors or their traffic management sub-contractors. As with road signs their provision is included in the cost of contracts. There are no separately identifiable figures for the cost of cones and signs or the numbers provided of each. 6. To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the enquiries made to the Cones Enquiry Line. Enquiries are assessed as they are received. As many calls as possible are dealt with immediately; formal complaints or observations are referred to the regional offices for further investigation. The Hotline operator will make special enquiries whenever a number of calls are received in respect of the same location or roadwork site. 7. To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many cones have been removed from the roads network as a result of complaints lodged with the Cones Enquiry Line. 425W Cones in place at three different sites have been removed as a direct result of enquiries made to the Cones Hotline. The appropriate contractors were instructed to remove the cones but no count of the precise number involved was necessary. 8. To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what constitutes a cone for the purpose of an enquiry to the Cones Enquiry Line. The Cones Hotline will respond to any call related to delay arising from roadworks on the motorway and trunk road network. I hope this information is helpful.